Halifax DJ983 at Rufforth airfield.

On the night of 6th / 7th November 1943 the crew of this 1663 Heavy Conversion Unit aircraft took off from Rufforth airfield at 21.40hrs to undertake a training flight. On their return to Rufforth the undercarriage would not lower properly and although the crew escaped injury the belly landing made there at 02.50hrs badly damaged the aircraft. This crew were posted to 76 Squadron later in November 1943.

Pilot - Sgt Frederick William Huckerby RAFVR (1535187).

Navigator - Sgt Walter Henry Mustoe RAFVR (1330717).

Probable crew...

Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - Sgt Douglas Albert Jones RAFVR (1435327).

Flight Engineer - Sgt James A Duff RAFVR (1568587).

Air Gunner - Sgt Eric Basil Upton RAFVR (1809229).

Air Gunner - Sgt Derek Norman John Scott RAFVR (1805168).

Derek Scott completed a tour with 76 Squadron and was posted out on 20th September 1944.
Walter Mustoe flew two operational flights with 76 Squadron. On paper he was posted out of 76 Squadron in May 1944 but spent most of the earlier months of the year in various hospitals.
Sgt Duff was posted to 466 Squadron on 17th December 1943 before flying any operations with 76 Squadron. He later served with 640 Squadron and 158 Squadron.
Sgt Eric Upton was killed on 16th February 1944 flying with 76 Squadron Halifax LL140 on Ops to Berlin. He has no known grave and was still just nineteen years old.
Frederick Huckerby received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation (171768) on 7th February 1944 and rose to F/O six months later. For service with 76 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 14th November 1944. He and Sgt Jones (who also received a commission) were posted to 617 Squadron on 25th August 1944. Huckerby was posted to 1660 HCU in February 1945.

Douglas Jones flew as wireless operator to W/Co "Willie" Tait in Lancaster LM405 on 23rd September 1944 dropping a tallboy bomb on the Dortmund-Emms canal aqueduct. His flying appears to have then been cut short as he took himself on a period of absense without leave before being apprehended in London on 11th October 1944. Three days later he was posted out of 617 Squadron.

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